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Dublin draw inspiration from basketball

Basketball has long influenced teams but Dublin have taken it to another level in recent years

Christy O’Connor

December 24 2017, 12:01am, The Sunday Times

Running the team: Ciaran Kilkenny runs Dublin’s offence, much like a point guard does in basketballGARY CARR

Twenty-three minutes into the 2016 drawn All-Ireland final, with Diarmuid Connolly standing over a free, the Mayo players close to goal heard the call ‘44’. A hand gesture from Connolly had signalled the impending play. One of the Dublin forwards made the call to initiate the movement on the play. And Dublin ran it.

Kevin McMenamon took Paddy Durcan for a walk. Bernard Brogan came forward to drag out Brendan Harrison. Dean Rock also came forward before wheeling in behind Colm Boyle. McMenamon and Brogan were trying to create a screen for Rock to get free as the shooter and Connolly’s genius threaded the ball over that cover and into Rock’s arms. Rock dropped the wet ball but Boyle was so frantically trying to prevent…

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